Guide to Auto Insurance in West Virginia

If you are looking for the cheapest coverage option, the state minimums might be the route for you:

• Liability coverage splits into property damage liability and bodily injury liability. The at-fault party covers the third party’s property damage and injuries in a collision. West Virginia requires you to carry $25,000 in property damage coverage and $25,000 per person or $50,000 per accident in bodily injury.
• Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage covers you and your passengers’ property damage and injuries that are the fault of an uninsured or underinsured driver. West Virginia requires you to carry $25,000 of uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage.

While the minimum coverage is the cheapest insurance in West Virginia, we recommend getting more. Supplemental coverage from an auto insurance company saves you from paying out of pocket for damages.

Liability

We recommend holding $500,000 of liability coverage to ensure you won’t have to pay out of pocket for a third party’s property damage or injuries.

Comprehensive

Comprehensive coverage covers any damage that is not from a collision. This includes weather damage, theft, civil disturbance, and vandalism. Our recommendation is to hold the same amount of comprehensive coverage as the actual market value of your car.

Collision

Collision coverage covers the cost to repair or replace your vehicle after a collision, regardless of fault. We recommend holding the same amount of collision coverage as the actual market value of your car.

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist

For uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage, we recommend carrying $500,000.

Medical Payments

Medical payments coverage covers medical expenses for you and your passengers, regardless of fault. We recommend $500,000 of coverage to ensure you don’t need to pay out of pocket for your medical expenses.

The cost of auto insurance premiums in West Virginia, according to 2020 data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, is $915 annually on average. This cost is 13 percent lower than the national average of $1,047.¹

However, we have seen rates from $458 to $2,430 in West Virginia. Your rates will be lower if you have a clean driving record, with higher rates for those with DUIs, at-fault accidents, and tickets.

If you are looking for auto insurance options in West Virginia, check out these providers:

• Allstate
• Encompass
• Erie
• GEICO
• Liberty Mutual
• MetLife
• Metropolitan
• Nationwide
• NICOA
• Progressive
• State Farm
• USAA
• Westfield

There are several ways to lower your premiums in West Virginia:

• Pay your monthly premiums upfront.
• Set up automatic payments.
• Pay attention to your credit score. Providers in West Virginia charge more for those with lower credit scores.
• Raise your deductible.
• Lower your limits.
• Ask what discounts your provider offers. We have seen discounts for being a good student, having multiple vehicles, and taking defensive driving courses.

West Virginia requires all drivers to carry paper or electronic proof of insurance. If you want to carry a digital copy of your insurance, see if your provider offers a mobile app. If not, you can download a digital copy of your insurance from your provider’s website.

If law enforcement catches you driving without insurance, the penalty is a $500-$2,000 fine and possible imprisonment ranging from 15 days to one year. License and registration suspension depend on whether you are a first-time or repeat offender.

• First offense: License and registration suspended until you present proof of insurance
• Second offense: Driver’s license suspended for 30 days, registration suspended until you show proof of insurance
• Third offense: Driver’s license suspended for 90 days, registration suspended until you present proof of insurance

Now that you are familiar with West Virginia’s insurance requirements, it’s time to learn the road rules.

Fault System

West Virginia is an at-fault state, which means the party who’s at fault for the accident pays for both property damage and bodily injury. Because of West Virginia’s modified comparative negligence law, you are not allowed to collect any damages if your fault is over 50 percent.

Uninsured Motorists

In West Virginia, 103,996 drivers are uninsured, which accounts for 9 percent of drivers.² If you have more than one car on your policy, you can stack your uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage. To find your stacked amount of coverage, multiply your selected limit by your number of cars.

DUI Laws

West Virginia keeps DUIs on your record for 10 years. For your first offense, your license will be suspended for six months, and you will need to install an ignition interlock device. If it is a second or subsequent offense, you need to keep your ignition interlock device for a year.

If your blood alcohol concentration is above 0.15 percent, you will be imprisoned for a minimum of 48 hours and have to pay a $200-$1,000 fine, even for a first offense. Your license will be suspended for 45 days, and you will be required to have an ignition interlock device on your vehicle for 270 days or nine months.

Seat Belt Laws

All drivers and passengers must wear seat belts on West Virginia roads. The seat belt law is under primary enforcement, meaning that police can ticket a driver or passenger without any other traffic violations.

Distracted Driving Laws

West Virginia has a handheld and texting ban for all drivers. If law enforcement catches you texting while driving, you’ll have to pay a fine of $100 to $300. West Virginia bans cell phone usage for drivers with an intermediate license or learner’s permit and those under 18 years old.

Teen Driver Laws

In West Virginia, you must graduate from both your instructional permit and your intermediate license to get your adult license. To receive your instructional permit, you must be 15 years old, have a current Driver’s Eligibility Certificate issued by your county school board, pass the written knowledge test and vision screening, and obtain written consent from a parent or legal guardian with Form DMV-23³. While driving with the instructional permit, you must:

• Have a licensed driver age 21 or older in the front seat.
• Have no more than two non-family passengers in addition to the supervising adult.
• Only drive between 5 a.m. and 10 p.m.

To receive your intermediate license, you must be 16 years old, have a current Driver’s Eligibility Certificate issued by your county school board, and pass the road skills test. While driving with your intermediate license, you must:

• Never drive with any non-family member under the age of 20 for the first six months of your license.
• Never drive with more than one non-family member under the age of 20 for the last six months of your license.
• Only drive between the hours of 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. with a supervisor. Travels to and from work, school, a religious activity, or emergency services are exceptions.

To get your adult license, you must be 17 years old, have a current Driver’s Eligibility Certificate issued by your county school board, and have held your intermediate license with no violations for at least one year.

Statute of Limitations for Claims

After a car accident that involved property damage and personal injury, you have two years to file a claim. If you wait longer than two years, there is no guarantee that your provider will cover the claim.

Cancellation/Non-Renewal Notification Laws

In West Virginia, auto insurance providers must notify you of a midterm cancellation 30 days before the effective date, no matter the reason for cancellation. They cannot cancel policies that have been in effect for over 60 days unless you don’t pay the premiums, commit fraud or misrepresentation on your application, or have a revoked or suspended license.

If your provider doesn’t intend to renew your plan after expiration, it must notify you 45 days before the expiration date and explain its reasoning. Providers often drop policies because they no longer offer that type of insurance or don’t want to write as many policies in your area, or because you were caught driving drunk.

Self-Insurance

West Virginia allows self-insurance if you have more than 25 registered vehicles. To qualify, you must have $100,000 of total assets with commissioner approval⁴.

Car Inspection Requirements

As a driver in West Virginia, you must get your car inspected every 12 months at an official inspection station licensed by the West Virginia State Police. To find your county’s inspection station, go to the West Virginia page at Emissions.org⁵.

When your vehicle passes the inspection, you will receive a sticker for the inside of your windshield, which is valid for a year. Driving with an invalid sticker is illegal.

The inspectors will need to verify your legal registration and insurance certificate. They will check these components of your car:

• Safety glass
• Sheet metal, bumpers, fender, and frame
• Horn, rearview mirror, windshield wipers, and plate mounting
• Brake system
• Front-end and steering components
• Tires and wheels
• Lights, safety devices, and seat belts

SR-22s

An SR-22 is a temporary certificate to show you meet the state’s insurance minimums after committing a serious offense. West Virginia does not require SR-22s, but if you are convicted of a serious driving offense, you should expect your insurance rates to increase.

Defensive Driving

The state of West Virginia does not require defensive driving courses, but you can take them to remove three points from your license, dismiss a traffic ticket, or get a discount on auto insurance. You can only take a defensive driving course for a point reduction once a year. Courses are offered online and in person and take four to eight hours.

Serious Injury and Monetary Thresholds

West Virginia does not have any serious injury or monetary thresholds you must meet if you are in an accident and want to sue. Because West Virginia is an at-fault state, you can sue for economic and noneconomic damages regardless of the severity of your injuries or your monetary losses.

Accident Reporting Requirements

If an accident involves injury, property damage, or death worth over $1,000, report it to the police immediately. If you do not report as soon as possible, the state will suspend your license.

Price Discrimination

In West Virginia, insurance providers can use your credit score and gender to determine your premiums. You can expect higher premiums if you are male or have a low credit score, and lower premiums if you are female or have a high credit score.

Total Loss Threshold

A total loss is when the vehicle cannot be repaired safely, the repairs cost more than the vehicle’s estimated value, or the damage meets the state’s total loss guidelines. In West Virginia, a car is a total loss if the cost of damage exceeds 75 percent of the car’s actual market value.

Now that you’ve looked over West Virginia’s insurance requirements and driving laws, it’s time to make a move.

Car Registration Information

West Virginia requires you to have insurance on your vehicle before registering it. If you are moving to West Virginia, you need to register and title your vehicle 30 days before establishing residency in the state. Here’s how to register:

1. Gather your documents. You will need to bring the following:
   • Proof that you are a resident of West Virginia
   • Application for a Certificate of Title for a Motor Vehicle (https://transportation.wv.gov/DMV/DMVFormSearch/DMV-1-TR_Certificate-for-Title-of-Motor-Vehicle-wf.pdf)
   • Proof of car insurance
   • Out-of-state registration and title
2. Find your local DMV office at https://www.dmv.org/wv-west-virginia/dmv-office-finder.php.
3. Go to your local DMV to register your car.

If you have any questions, you can contact the West Virginia DMV.

• Phone number: 304-558-3900
• Email: dot.dmvcommissioner@wv.gov
• Mailing address:
  • 5707 MacCorkle Ave. SE
    Charleston, WV 25304

How to Get a Copy of Your Car Title in West Virginia

Take these steps to get a copy of your car title:

1. Go to https://transportation.wv.gov/DMV/DMVFormSearch/DMV-4-TR_Application-for-Duplicate-Title-for-a-Motor-Vehicle-wf.pdf.
2. Print out the form.
3. Fill it out.
4. Get it notarized if you are not the vehicle owner.
5. Include a $15 payment in the envelope.
6. Send it by mail or drop it off at your local DMV office, which you can find at https://www.dmv.org/wv-west-virginia/dmv-office-finder.php.

How to Contact West Virginia’s Insurance Department

If you’re looking for more information about West Virginia’s insurance laws, you can contact its insurance department.

• Phone number: 304-558-3386
• Mailing address:
  • West Virginia Lottery Building
    900 Pennsylvania Ave.
    Charleston, WV 25302
• URL: https://filingaccess.serff.com/sfa/home/wv

The average cost of vehicle repairs in West Virginia is $377.31, which is 2 percent lower than the national average of $383.37.

• Parts: $228.47
• Labor: $148.84
• Parts and labor: $377.31⁶

Crime rates and traffic fatalities in your area can raise your insurance rates. That’s why it’s important to look at the statistics whenever you are moving to a new state.

Motor Vehicle Theft

West Virginia’s rate of motor vehicle theft is 93 percent lower than the national average. For every 100,000 of its inhabitants, there were 127 motor vehicle thefts in 2020⁷. Charleston and Arlington are two of the worst cities for auto theft in West Virginia.

Fatalities

In 2019, there were 260 traffic fatalities for every 100 million vehicle miles traveled in West Virginia. That’s 172 percent lower than the national average of 708 fatalities for every 100 million miles⁹.

Brushing up on driving laws and insurance requirements is important in any state. If you have questions about other states’ laws and requirements, look into our state-by-state driving guide.